Movie Review # 717: Paddington 2 (2018)

And now, it’s time to review Paddington 2!

Plot: When Paddington Bear (Ben Winshaw) gets framed for the theft of a special pop-up book, it is up to his adoptive family to find the real culprit, and get him out of jail.

So, is this sequel as good as the first Paddington film? Well, let me put it to you all this way! Paddington 2 may have some elements in this film that people will probably find better here than in the first movie. However, overall, though the sequel is definitely really good, is not quite on par with the first one. First of all, there was a character from the first film that, though he seemed to have a good arc in the first movie, that seemed to go out the window in this second movie, as he seemed a little too quick to jump to conclusions, most notably when he was wrongly judged Paddington Bear on certain actions. In addition to that, what was with some of the main characters going to consult a fortune teller at a special carnival event that was taking place? I mean yeah, I do at least get that it was a way to help move the story along. Still, I’m not sure that it was the best way to do so. So there you have that!

But now, let’s discuss the positives in Paddington 2. Well, for one, it was an interesting premise to see Paddington framed for a crime, but doing the best that he can to make the most of it while in jail. There was also a lot of creativity to this sequel as well. It also did well with showing how characters like Paddington can be a little gullible, and naive about the world around them. Seeing as even adults have been guilty of that from time to time, it was good to see that portrayed here in this film. And, like I said before, there are at least some elements that may have made this sequel somewhat superior. For one, there’s the villain. The one from the first film seemed a little one note, and not all too interesting as a result. In this sequel, however, this one, who was played by Hugh Jackman, was a much more interesting character. I mean he was fun, charismatic, and had so many other great qualities to go along with his character, especially for a villain. Paddington’s relationship with his family was developed even stronger this time around as well. Oh, and if you want a really good sequel, not only do the things that I just mentioned make it great, but there is a surprise at the very end as well. I won’t say what happens, but let’s just say that it’s because of moments like it, and certain other moments in this sequel as well, that I wouldn’t be surprised if at least some people considered Paddington 2 superior to it’s predecessor. Finally, make sure that you stay during part of the end credits. You’ll be glad that you did, as an additional scene occurs during the rolling of the credits.

And that’s my review for Paddington 2. Though maybe not overall on par with the first film, there are moments that people may like the second film even a little better. Either way, because this sequel is still really good, it’s worth seeing. The score is nice, the villain is excellent, the characters are overall really great, and there are some nice surprises here and there. It is for these reasons that I highly suggest that you see Paddington 2. I can guarantee that you’ll be glad that you did in the end.

Final Rating: 9/10